Our school tour was canceled because they had a case of Covid 19, so we took a walking tour of historic Lima, starting from the Plaza de las Armas, where Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded the City of Kings as the new capital. (The Incan capital, Cusco, was known as "the belly button of the world.") The plaza is surrounded by the cathedral and the palaces of the government, the archbishop, and others. The cathedral has its own museum, so while the others were taking photos outside, I paid 10 soles (about $3) to go inside. There is the resting place for Pizarro's skeleton and another crypt for his head. It got even better when we toured the Monastery of San Francisco and its catacombs. The remains are considered the largest and best preserved on the continent, rivaled only by the catacombs of Paris. Unlike Paris, however, these people did not die of plague. They died of natural causes and the catacombs served as the cemetery. In the 20th century, the bones of at least 70,000 people were reorganized and rearranged in geometric patterns. Above ground, the monastery includes a library of books dating back to the 16th century. It contains some 25,000 volumes, including Bibles written in Latin, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and other languages. Lunch was at Limana, a modern, courtyard restaurant in the upscale San Isidro neighborhood that serves vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options. After a mini-slider appetizer made with mushrooms instead of meat, we had perfectly cooked salmon and a sweet potato puree. This was my favorite meal in Lima.
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Karen CusolitoI am a National Board Certified Teacher of English at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles. I also advise the student newspaper, which is an elective class. When I am not teaching, you can find me traveling, hiking with my dog, or doing yoga. Guiding Questions:
How common is it for girls in Peru to attend universities? How does their rate compare to boys? How has the rate of university attendance changed over the years? Archives
July 2022
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